Why Not?
by Lady StarFlower
Summary: A beat up Lucy. A crying Natsu. A not-jealous-for-once Juvia. An actually-helping-Juvia Gray. A marriage proposal. For Valentine's Day! Lots of Nalu, and a good dose of Gruvia. Other pairings briefly mentioned.


Juvia Lockser hummed as she moved through the streets of the market place, a basket on her arm and her heart full of spring.

"What beautiful weather." She said to herself, relishing the sun on her face. "Juvia should stay out a little longer."

The booths from all sides beckoned to the Water Mage, their vendors calling out their wares and the display shelves exhibiting goods that attracted tourists from all over the kingdom. Juvia's basket was already full, but she allowed herself a few moments to pick up an item every now and then that interested her or seemed a good present for any of her friends.

"The sun is getting low." Juvia finally noticed as the sky began to turn a pale orange. "Time to head home."

She quickened her pace along the streets, ignoring the men that called out to her, "Hey beautiful! Do you want me to walk you home? That basket looks too heavy for such an angel to carry."

"Juvia only wants Gray-sama to walk her home." Juvia said indignantly, disdainfully sweeping by the crestfallen boys, unconsciously walking into the more unsavory part of town.

Dark alleyways, suspicious men in black, and bars full of raucous laughter and half-naked drunken girls told Juvia she was in the wrong part of the city. "Juvia shouldn't be here." The Water Mage thought worriedly, keeping a sharp eye out, her fighting instincts on the alert.

So it was not surprising when a heavily scarred man blocked her path, accompanied by several of tattooed goons, all leering at her with lustful gazes. "Where're you going, little girl? You lost?"

"Juvia is not lost." Juvia said firmly, tightening her grip on her basket. "Juvia would like you to move away."

"Her name's Juvia." A man with one eye remarked. "Pretty name." "I bet she would make a good night." Another one grinned.

"Begone." Juvia raised her hand, and magic began to glow from her fingertips. "Juvia has no business with you."

"Crap, she's a wizard!" The men stepped back, sweating. "Get her! They're worth more!" The leader barked, already reaching out to grab her arm.

"Juvia warned you." Juvia raised her arms, and soon water gushed out from her hands, curling round the panicking men and cutting off their air, viciously choking them and slamming them on the ground until they blacked out. It was over before it had begun, and the blue-haired girl soon stood over dozens of unconscious men.

"Juvia should leave before more men come." Juvia was about to obey her own command when she heard a moan from the ground, close to the wall. "Help…me…"

"Is someone there?" Juvia leaned closer, straining to see in the dark. "Juvia does not mean harm."

"Juvia….? Juvia…" The figure reached out a hand, and Juvia recoiled once she saw that there was blood oozing slowly from it. "It's…Lucy…help me…"

"Lucy-san?!" Juvia set her basket down with a startled thump and bent down to see that it was indeed the Celestial Wizard, bloody and bruised and in no shape to move whatsoever. "How have you gotten so wounded?"

"Just…help me up….wait….Natsu…." Lucy soon collapsed, blood starting to dribble from her beautiful mouth, brown eyes glassing over. Juvia's eyes widened as Lucy Heartfilia keeled over and lay still on the ground.

O.O

"Juvia is crazy Juvia is crazy Juvia is crazy….." Juvia was grumbling to herself as she carted Lucy on her back, slowly moving through the streets towards the Fairy Tail guild. Even though it was nearly midnight, she knew some wizards will still be up partying, probably drinking Mira's beer and singing loud bawdy songs. Or just passed out.

"Juvia hope they're not too drunk to help Lucy-san." Juvia said worriedly as she felt warmth trickling down her back, suppressing a shudder as she knew it was Lucy's blood. "Lucy is getting heavy…"

"Juvia?"

Juvia froze and cute little candy hearts began to swim in her vision. "Gray-sama…..?"

Gray was indeed standing before her on the dimly lit road, bags in his hands and one perfect eyebrow arched over his beautiful beautiful eyes. "What are you doing so late at night?"

"Juvia ran into trouble at the red light district and found Lucy-san all wounded." Juvia explained, hefting the unconscious girl on her back. "She's really badly hurt. Juvia thought to take her to the guild."

"Crap. I'll take her." Gray set down the groceries he was carrying and lifted Lucy easily, barely straining himself. Juvia felt that little pit-a-pat in her heart again, but pushed it away. It was time to focus on Lucy-san, not her infatuation.

"It's kind of you to carry her this far." Gray commented, walking forwards. Juia grabbed the groceries he carried and added them to her marketplace basket. "I usually thought you might abandon her, seeing as you consider her your love-rival and all."

"Juvia is not cruel." Juvia replied indignantly. "Juvia would not desert a friend in need. And Lucy is with Natsu-san now, isn't she? They love each other."

"Yeah…about that…." Gray coughed and glanced around, as if checking for eavesdroppers. "They had a really big fight a few hours ago." He whispered conspiratorially. "Both were really riled up. I have never seen them this angry before."

"Both of them fighting?" Juvia repeated in disbelief. "Natsu treasures Lucy, and Lucy adores Natsu. They've been together for a long time. How can they be in such conflict?"

"I'm not sure. We pretty much kept out of their way. It was ugly. Finally, Lucy screamed something really insulting at Natsu and he yelled something back. She pretty much stormed out of the guild hall after that, and I didn't see her until now." Gray looked down at the girl he was carrying, her face deathly pale and her eyes still fluttering. "I hope she'll be okay."

"Is Wendy-san still at the guild? If she is, then it would be easy to heal Lucy-san." Juvia was wondering if Wendy would go to the Fairy Hills dormitory. The little girl had an earlier bedtime than the grown-ups, so she usually went to bed at ten thirty.

"It's just a few minutes after midnight." She counted to herself. "Wendy would be in bed. We might have to wake her up."

"Aaaaand there's the guild hall." Gray droned, glancing at the fairy statues and the bold gothic lettering on the signboard. "Good thing. Lucy's getting real heavy."

As they entered the guild hall, there were only a few mages here and there. There was a passed out Gajeel with his head in an equally stoned Levy's lap, Pantherlily asleep on her head. Mirajane was talking quietly with Laxus at the bar, with Evergreen snoring loudly in an unladylike fashion, her pillow Elfman smoothing her hair with an unusually unmanly soft smile on his face.

Erza was reading a thick book, her face flushing every now and then (it was obviously a dirty novel), and several other mages were eating a late dinner like Max or just getting drunk again like Cana. Master Makarov was sawing logs precariously perched on the guild's second floor railing.

And there was Natsu and Wendy at a table, the younger mage snoozing with Carla, the older boy staring off into space, a troubled frown on his usually merry face, with Happy watching him with an equally worried expression.

All of them stirred when the guild doors opened with a bang, Gray having kicked the door open to get the guild's attention. "LUCY'S HURT! WE NEED WENDY'S HELP! WAKE UP!"

It was the most rousing alarm clock ever since the time Natsu sneezed and the roof caught fire while it was storming outside. Wendy was on her feet before her eyes opened, an impressive feat to say the least. Master fell off his perch and was caught in the nick of time by his grandson while Evergreen woke up to find a very red Elfman dumping her off his lap.

And Natsu…Natsu rushed forward and took the battered Celestial Wizard's body in his arms and stared at her with anguish and such PAIN in his dark dark eyes that Juvia could feel the hurt in his heart just by watching him.

"I'll heal her, Natsu-san." Wendy vowed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and stretching out her hands to perform her magic with a determined look on her face. "I promise."

"How did this happen, Juvia, Gray?" Master asked the duo as he regained his dignity.

"Juvia found Lucy in the red light district, wounded like this. Juvia carried her until the crossroads, where Gray-sama carried her all the way back." Juvia explained, still drunk on Gray, who just tsk'ed and turned his attention back to Wendy, who was concentrating intently until she leaned back. "There. That should help, but she'll be out for a few hours."

"Thanks, Wendy." Gray turned his head to look down at Natsu, who hadn't uttered a word since they had come in. "Firebreath…"

"It's my fault." The Fire Dragonslayer hissed. "I told her that she wasn't strong enough to face those drug dealers, and she just upped and went by herself. Stupid Lucy...stupid…." He was cradling her head in his hands, tears splattering from his face onto her fair skin. Her eyes blinked hazily open, clouded by pain and focused slightly on the crying boy.

"Natsu….I'm glad…you're here…." She smiled dreamily, and stroked his face with her hands….not.

Actually, Lucy slapped him across the face. Hard. "YOU IDIOT OF A DRAGONSLAYER!"

Everyone jumped back several feet and cowered behind overturned tables. "This is the way we die." Happy whimpered. "Carla, if I die, you can have all my fish." "I'll take it." Carla nodded nervously. "Any for me?" Pantherliliy cowered behind Gajeel, who was still snoring.

"I TOLD YOU I COULD TAKE THEM ON! I DID! IN YOUR FACE, NATSU!" Lucy shrieked, battering Natsu with her fists.

"YOU WERE TOO BEAT UP TO WALK HOME! THAT DOESN'T COUNT!" Natsu raged back, trying to pin Lucy to the ground but only wound up with a dirty-soled sandal in his mouth.

"I DON'T NEED YOU ALL THE TIME, FIREBREATH! THIS MISSION PROVES IT!" Lucy was grinding her sole into his teeth, laughing maniacally.

"She's acting funny." Levy whispered to Wndy who looked horrified. "I used the right spell...but this might be an aftereffects of some sort." She moaned. "This might get a little messy."

"IF IT WEREN'T FOR JUVIA AND GRAY YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN TOAST!" Natsu bellowed around Lucy's foot. "DID YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED WE WERE? HOW WORRIED _I_ WAS?!"

"Hm. I didn't think you cared." Lucy removed her shoe disdainfully.

"Trust me, I care a lot." Natsu wiped his mouth and glared up at her, onyx eyes smoldering with many suppressed emotions.

"I didn't think so a few hours ago." She said in a quiet tone. Natsu stood up, dusting himself off, but he kept her eyes on her. "I said some things that I kinda regret now." He admitted. "Can we make up?"

"Just like that?" Lucy blinked. The whole guild leaned in, on bated breath. "I guess….I mean…"

"Then marry me."

Silence.

Somewhere, Loke collapsed in tears.

Lucy stared at Natsu, mouth agape. "Wh…I….um…." "I'm dead." Mirajane whispered in a daze. "Laxus, tell me I'm dreaming….." "You're not." Laux said bluntly. "I heard him too, as clear as day."

"Why not?" Natsu shrugged, a smile beginning to creep over his face. "Then you can watch my back, and I'll watch yours. That way, we can never lose in any fight."

"Is fighting all you think about?" Lucy said with a tired smile, but it was a smile, and it was growing next to Natsu's. "Fine. I'll marry you, you big idiot dork of a mmmmpppph."

"THE LORD BE PRAISED! MY OTP IS NOW OFFICIAL!" Mirajane collapsed in pure bliss as Natsu mischievously kissed Lucy full on the mouth, and the whole guild burst into cheers, and began popping out "congratulations" and "be sure to invite me to the wedding!"

"Incredible." Gray shook his head with a big grin, and Juvia clapped her hands with joy. "Juvia is happy to see them together!"

Gray glanced down at her. She was laughing, her cheeks flushed and eyes bright as stars. Never had she looked more different than the glowering Rain woman of Phantom Lord. Somehow, his heart beat a little faster when she grabbed his hands in hers.

"Gray-sama, let's congratulate them." Juvia said eagerly. Gray nodded slowly, still a little dazed, but shook his head and ran after Juvia to bear-tackle the newly engaged couple.

In the background, Mirajane watched them run up to Lucy and Natsu. She smirked. "Another OTP is coming to fruition…."

 **A/N: Like and review! Natsu and Lucy are such a confirmed couple I'm surprised Mr. Mashima hasn't put them together yet….**


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